This Christmas give the man in your life a luxury sports watch from Formex, such as the aviation inspired Pilot Watch or the versatile and indestructible Element Watch, a unique gift from a watchmaker with a difference.

It’s that time of year, pumpkins and Halloween costumes have been replaced on store shelves by all things festive. Inevitably thoughts turn to Christmas shopping and the thorny question of what to buy for the man in your life. Scouring the internet for inspiration on the top gifts for men, one suggestion looms large – a watch – and whilst the smart watch has its place, you can’t beat a proper Swiss wristwatch.

When it comes to buying a watch the amount of choice can be bewildering. Do you go for a quartz watch or mechanical movement? Everyday or dress watch? Robust and practical or elegant with a traditional dial? Steel bracelet or leather strap? Whatever the final decision, we all want to give a gift that stands out from the crowd, something that is a little bit different.

In seeking out a watch with an edge, find a watchmaker that does things differently. Formex watches might have been around for over 20 years but they’re not your usual Swiss watchmaker. They’ve been in the press lately with their bold move to sell online only and cutting their prices in half. Their latest watch launch on Kickstarter was fully funded in the first 30 minutes and proved to be a huge success with nearly 600 pieces sold.

Formex Watches are completely Swiss made and designed; a fusion of high-performance materials such as stainless steel, titanium, ceramic, carbon-fibre and very reliable Swiss Made movements. One of the most unique aspects of their watches is the case suspension system. Inspired by the world of high-performance bikes and racing cars, this cushion concept protects the watch movement from strong impacts or vibrations and makes the watch incredibly comfortable to wear.

Another innovative aspect of a Formex timepiece is the newly patented carbon fibre composite folding clasp that allows for fine-adjustment of the strap length on the go, achieving a perfect fit on the wrist in all conditions and temperatures.

When choosing which Formex Watch to go for, each model is equally at home in the boardroom or the cockpit; as well as on the beach or the red carpet, and given their robust quality a Formex Watch doesn’t need to be handled with kid gloves.

Take the Pilot, for example. A unique aviator style watch, characterised by a large and highly legible dial with the traditional triangle and two dots to indicate the 12 position. The watch comes in a plethora of colour options from sleek silver to bright red or elegant black and with strap options that include leather, rubber or a titanium bracelet. It’s the kind of watch that can be tailored to reflect someone’s personal taste and style as well as fit a budget. Prices for the Pilot range from £329 to £1078 and these include shipping, taxes, duties, free returns and a 2 year warranty.

Another Formex Watch to consider as a gift is the Element. A watch that straddles the worlds of sports watch and dress watch; it will complement a suit and tie and handle a black run in Verbier with equal aplomb. The Element is a 46mm wide with a brushed and polished steel case and either a black ceramic (20 times harder than steel) or matching steel bezel. Powering the watch is a Swiss Made Valjoux 7750 automatic movement with Chronograph function and weekday and date display. If you opt for the full Steel version the price is £995 or the Ceramic Bezel option is £1,190 (again prices include shipping, taxes, duties, free returns and a 2 year warranty).

Amazing watches with the craftsmanship and pedigree of a Formex usually come with an amazing, eye watering price tag. But this is not the case as Formex operate exclusively online so there are no middle men or retailer margins which means that these incredible watches cost half of what they would cost in a bricks and mortar store.

The influence of adrenaline fuelled sports such as motor racing on the design and function of Formex Watches extends to their supporting and partnering with many athletes who are involved with such sports. Reubyn Ash - UK champion surfer; Marc Hauser - world record skydiver; Alex Toril - winner of the Dubai 24h and Le Mans Michelin cup; Elias Ambühl - champion freeskier; Thomas Genon – champion dirt jump and slopestyle mountain biker: Abraham Calderón – champion Nascar and Freightliner Truck driver. They also sponsor Team Brit, a competitive British motor racing team consisting of disabled drivers, ex or serving military troops who have sustained serious injuries. These sportsmen are all incredibly talented and push the boundaries of the possible; they pursue their dreams of achieving extraordinary feats of daring and skill and all are very proud to wear a near indestructible Formex watch.

Raphael Granito is not your typical watch company CEO. He is an avid participant in many of these high-octane pursuits and always enjoys putting a Formex through its paces. He most recently posted on Instagram his skydive whilst wearing the Essence model; just another way that this watch company shows it can walk the walk. And when Raphael isn’t surfing or snowboarding to illustrate how tough a Formex is, he can be found on Instagram or on watch forums getting involved with clients and advising on the choice of strap or different watch models.

If this Christmas you’re looking to give a watch that stands out, look no further than a watch from Formex, the brand that embraces doing things a little differently. You will be giving the man in your life arguably the most affordable and virtually indestructible luxury sports watch in the world; not to mention one that comes with some great talking points.